Persistent Equipment Failures Despite SPD Usage: Unveiling Potential Causes

electrical panel fire

SPDs are essential components in safeguarding electrical systems from damaging voltage spikes and surges. However, their effectiveness can be compromised by a variety of factors, including oversizing, improper grounding, and insufficient protection. Moreover, issues such as TOV, voltage sags, spikes, harmonics, and frequency variations present additional risks that must be addressed through a comprehensive approach to power quality management.

Best Practices: Extending the Life of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Engineer Maintaining Battery Storage

Optimizing lithium-ion battery lifespan requires understanding how environmental conditions, SoC management, charging/discharging rates, and current exposure impact battery health. With careful handling and modern technology such as BMS, controlled charging infrastructure, and surge protection, users can significantly extend the lifespan of these essential power sources, ultimately reducing environmental impact and lowering costs over time.

Identifying the Root Cause of Motor Failure

mechanic working on motoe

As motors become increasingly sophisticated, the potential for failure due to a combination of mechanical and electrical factors grows. Understanding the root cause of motor failures is essential to minimize costly downtime and ensure long-term reliability.

Solutions to Common VFD Faults

Variable frequency drive

Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) are an efficient way to run motors, pumps, or other similar devices, as a means of optimization. However, troublesome faults do arise with VFD use. When these issues are not proactively addressed, it leads to downtime, equipment malfunction, or failure of the VFD itself.

Integrated vs. Externally Mounted Surge Protective Devices

Electrician in Arc Flash PPE

Traditionally, TVSS (often referred to as surge protective devices – SPD for short) have been applied to electrical distribution systems in an aftermarket fashion. However, distribution equipment manufacturers have since integrated surge protection into their products, in some ways to the disadvantage of the end user.

Common Misconceptions About SPDs Nominal Discharge Current Ratings: Part Two

Lightning over power poles

ANSI/UL 1449 represents a widely recognized standard delineating requirements for Surge Protective Devices (SPDs) deployed in electrical applications. This benchmark standard plays a significant role in the testing and certification of SPDs. Nonetheless, there exists an imperative need to revise the existing standard to better align with an expanding knowledge base of the surge environment and evolving technologies.